Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-12-24
INTER-OCEAN
BLA1NE's MESSAGE.
Some Views on the Tariff by a
Real Statesman.

AVS0A ~SSSSSA~-
A reporter for the New York Tribune
called upon Mr.. Blaine IN Paris just as
the Maine statesman had finished read
ing C4eveland's message. Here is what
Mr.. Blaine had to say on the subject:
Mr.. Blaine opens the interview with
the remark that he has read III abstract
Of the presidents message in the London
papers, with the editorial comments,
from which it appears that the message
is regarded as q free trade document, and
likely to lead to legislation that will give
an enlarged market to English fabrics
in the United States. "For the first
time," said Mr.. Blaine, "the president
recommends retaining the internal tax
in order that the tariff may be forced
down below the fair revenue standard.
He recommends that the tariff on to-
bacco be retained, and thus that many
millions annually shall be levied on a
domestic product which would far better
come from a tariff OH foreign fabrics"
"Then do you mean to imply that you
would favor the repeal of the tobacco
tax ?'
Certainly, I mean just that said Mr..
Blaine. II should urge that it be done
at once, sven before the Christmas holi-
days. 1t would. in tho first place, bring
great relief to growers of tobacco all over
the country, and would, moreover, ma
terially lessen the price of the article to
consumers. Tobacco to millions of men
is a necessity. Tho president calls it a
luxury, but it is a luxury in no other
sense than tea and coffee are luxuries.
1t is well to remember that tho luxury
of yesterday becomes u necessity of to-
day. Watch, if you please, the number
Of men at work on the farm, In the coal
mines, along the railroad, in the iron
foundry, or in any calling, and you will
find 95 to 100 chewing while they work.
After each meal the same proportion
seek the solace Of a pipe or a cigar. Those
lei not only pay the millions of the to-
bacco tax, but pay on every plug and
every cigar an enhanced price which the
tax enables the manufacturer and retail
er to impose. Tho only excuse for such
Il tax is the actual necessity under which
the government found itself during the
war, II the years Immediately follow
ing. TO retain the tax now in. order to
destroy the protection which would in.
cidentally flow from raising tho same
amount of money OH foreign imports, is
certainly a most extraordinary policy
for Jul government"
SWELL, then, Mr.. Blaine, would 70,
advise the repeal Of the whisky tax also?'
"No, 1 would not. Other considera.
tons than those Of financial administra
ton are to be taken INTO account will
regard to whisky. There is amoral sid,
to it. To cheaper the price of whisky is
to increase the consumption enormously
There would be no sense in urging thu
raform wrought by high license III many
states if the national government neu,
tralizes the good effect by making whisky
within the reach Of every n at 20 cents
Il gallon. Whisky would be everywhere
distilled if the surveillance of tho gov.
eminent were withdrawn by the remis,
sion of the tax, and illicit sales could no
then be prevented, even by a policy a:
rigorous and searching as that will
which Russia pursues the Nihilists. I
would destroy high license at once in al
the states. Whisky has done a vast dea
ofharm in the United States. 1 would
try to make it do some good. I would
use the tax to fortify our cities OH til,
seaboard. In view of the powerful lette
addressed to the Democratic party OH tn
subject Of Notifications by the late MI
Samuel J. Tilden, in 1885, I am amazed
that no attention has been paid to tn
subject by the Democratic administra
ton. Never before in the history of til
world has any government allowed grea
cities on the s%eaboard. like Philadelphia
New York, Boston, Baltimore. Now Or
leans and San Francisco to remain dc
fenseless."
But" said the reporter, ''you don
think we are to have wal in any direc
tion?'
Certainly not said Mr.. Blaine
"Neither, l presume, did Mr.. Tilde1
when he wrote his remarkable lctte,
But we should change a remote chanc
into an absolute impossibility. If on
weak and exposed points were strongl
fortified; if today we had by any chanc
eyer such a war as we had with Mexico
our enemy could procure ironclads i
Europe that would menace our great cit
les with destruction or lay them indie
contribution
"But would not our fortifying no,
possibly look as if we expected war?'
'Why should it any more than til
Notifications made 20 or 50 years ago b
Il grandfathers, when they guardo
themselves against successful attac
from the ornaments Of that day? w
don't necessarily expect a burglar bs
cause we lock Il doors at night; but i
by any possibility, a burglar comes,
contributes vastly to IL peace of min
and our sound sleep to feel that lie can
get in
"But after the Notifications should |
constructed would you still maintain IL
tax on whisky"
eyes, said Mr.. Blaine. $50 long
there is whisky to tax I would tax
and when the national governme
should have no use for the money
would divide the money among the fe
eral union with tho specific object
tightening the tax on real estate. T.
houses and farms of tho whole count
pay::::too large a proportion of the tot
taxes. If ultimately relief could be gi
ell in that direction. it would, in my jud